HOWLER

Chapter 50: Smart Alpha

Austry's POV
When we got word about Michael's death we'd just unpacked some of Cynthia's boxes. The strange ambience from the fight didn't die off after the news came to our ears.

"So that's it?", Alice it loudly in disbelief, "come on."

Her voice deflated into an unsatisfied mumble.

"Aren't you supposed to feel I don't know victorious when you just achieved something you've been fighting for ?,"she continued while stacking boxes.

I blame that ambient for sour moods.

"Well," Daniel began to then hesitate before continuing. his lips twisted into awkward lip bite, "Reality hit too hard?"

We groaned in response. I took a seat near the entrance,just in time, to see people chatting outside.

"Thank you guys for helping me out," Cynthia cheered with a bright smile. She pushed one of the fabric curtains from the connecting rooms that she scanned her new office.

"It almost seems as if we never left doesn't it so homie," she continued to pat Alice's shoulder, "So good to be back."

As if she couldn't hold her displeasure to herself. Alice eyed Cynthia and she twirled over to Daniel to fan him shortly while he leaned down from the labor.

Then she broke," Are you not going to acknowledge Michael's death?"

Her brownish thick fox tail rolled before she turned, "What more is there to say?"

Right when Alice was about to speak again, our eyes turned to the entrance.

"I am happy you can all be here today. Respected Alphas, betas, Gammas, and fellow pack members are welcomed. I, Victor, leading Alpha of this meeting must reveal the purpose for this sudden Gathering," the video feed played on the crack screen laptop. Boris quickly came inside with the twins and the Sand Demon pack member from before.

"I really hoped on not having to see his face for another decade," I whispered to the group. Our last encounter was short lived , but my heart was already raving to think how close I was to getting captured by that man. He had arranged my kidnapping along with Michael and the rest of them, it's going to be hard to ignore that fact just to watch the video.

"What happened to showing it to Steven and Harrison first? They are the leaders," I said with the degree of noticeable resentment.

Boris tapped the new guy's shoulder , "They already did and asked us to take it in view it. But I can't say the twins really want to watch through this."

Cynthia hummed in disbelief to herself, " It just sounds like you guys just don't want to do your work."

"No no that's not true!," all three of them said shaking their hands really quickly.

"In general they're justifying how to kick out Lunarblue out of the Union," one of the twins says passively while staring at the small computer screen.

"Kicking them out," Daniel yelped in shock, "how did they find out that quick?"

"They just assumed the chance," the new guy said; looking at Daniel. In the few moments he was talking, I look towards Alice for reconfirmation. That guy is hiding something or least not telling us something.

"What do you mean assume to chance? Not that we're fans of them but aren't they like the law or something?," Daniel said watching the guy, "and what are you here for?"

The guy mumbled a few words before snapping, "What does it matter why they do what they do, they're doing it , and they're going to plan to attack again that's what matters!"

Cynthia came to the rescue. " Yes, now calm down hun," Cynthia says in a gentle soothing voice as she rubs a guy's shoulders. He fidgeted in her touch and squirmed towards the other guys. His face contorted with stress and fear. The small gesture stilled him he really didn't trust Cynthia, but I had a feeling he just didn't want to be here at all.

"Hey don't worry, you can tell them what we know. We don't hide much in our pack amongst each other. Guys, he's apparently is our informant. He recorded this about two full days ago, Steven suspects someone knew about what we were planning and told Victor," Boris stated while pausing to video.

That bit had me thinking. It pleased me to know I wasn't the only one to realize the implications though.

"But no one told Michael," Alice added with certainty.

The guy nodded, "Yeah they seem to have an informant who knew what you guys were planning and still they let it happen."

"It sounds too contradicting if you ask me," Alice pushed your glasses up and looked at the guy in the eyes.

"How so?

"Hell, they make us leave Dusk Hunt, why would they want us to come back?"

Then it hit me the one incident that scared us at the place was STRAX. They had eyes and ears on us the whole time and we even played the cautious card, to make sure it didn't happen; we somehow we slipped up. It has to be them.

The shivers ran down my spine when I thought back to the painting in the well-lit library. Steven would only take that precaution because he knew that this could happen.

My eyes watched Daniel quietly, 'He interacted with one of them.'

Everybody continued the conversation, but their voices were like static noise. All I could hear were the turning wheels in my head.

Did Steven know this could happen? If STRAX made themselves known, I doubt Victor would bend over to their will especially knowing their history with werewolves. Then again Michael has to play some part as well, so what was his role?'

Cynthia's voice chimed through my thoughts after while, "Is everyone okay now?,"

"Yeah. They seem to be alright if they kicking out the the Rogues. Most of them just chickened out and ran to the woods. I'm hoping they get eaten by bears something," one of the twins stated with mild humor. Alice overlooked the conversation. The way she did reminded me of home.

When we were in high school and we're just watching people talk, we never really tried to butt into anyone's conversations; there is just a simple enjoyment of just listening to each other talk. Mostly I would spend most of the time paying attention to Daniel talk about his games and Alice would just listen to our conversations above her music list: there's something peaceful among us.

To some extent, I knew she didn't have similar questions to mine. I have no idea if she knew about STRAX like I did. I thought about it in silence then looked to Daniel. Does he know the exact dangers ? He did come in contact with one of them and Steven did warn everyone right after that. Have they connected the events as well?

While I could tell them now, I refrained from that. I remember back to the conversation I had with Steven in the library how he said not many people know and although we were howlers, it concerns us: There's some things that can't be told until everything is for sure. Steven has to be smart if he hasn't told anyone about STRAX being the informant. I have to ask Steven.

As much as I love government conspiracy theories, if they are true, we may have to face these people. The people who killed off the Howlers and began hunting down in the city. The two people who knocked at my door of my house in the city.

... and if that is true I might not be able to survive the same way I did with Victor. I stood up and began to head out through the curtain.

"Hey where you going?", a few voices said once I reach the curtain. I can't tell the truth not yet I rather Steven have to deal with that, not me.

"Need some fresh air, that's all." I said smiling before walking out.

'some fresh air and a talk with the alpha. '